In a transaction, a customer (the “customer”) may purchase from a merchant (“the merchant”) goods or services (“the product”) using credit. The credit may be extended to the customer by an issuing bank (the “issuer”). The issuer may authorize the transaction before extending credit to customer. The merchant may present the transaction to an acquiring bank (the “acquirer”). Each transaction presented to the acquirer may be embodied in a transaction record. The acquirer pays the merchant for (and thus “acquires”) the product. A transaction processing network in communication with the issuer and the acquirer settles the transaction between the issuer and the acquirer. The transaction processing network may collect transaction processing network fees from the issuer and the acquirer in connection with the settlement.
Settling the transaction may include the transaction network receiving a plurality of transactions from the acquirer. Each transaction may be embodied in a transaction record. Each of the plurality of transaction records may comprise an amount authorized by the issuer. In response to receiving the transaction records, the transaction network may debit an account of the issuer. The debit may correspond to the amount authorized by the issuer. The transaction network may credit an account of the acquirer. The amount credited to the acquirer may correspond to the amount authorized.
Settlement may include a transfer of funds between two or more TPs. The transfer may be a “book transfer,” an inter-bank transfer or any suitable transfer between the TPs. A settlement network may transfer the funds between TPs. Illustrative settlement networks may include the Federal Reserve Wire Network (“Fedwire”) and other suitable settlement networks that are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The settlement network may be any suitable network linking one or more accounts of TPs.
One TP may impose a transaction cost upon another TP for participating in the transaction. The transaction cost may be referred to as “interchange.” Interchange may be a fixed fee and/or a percentage of the purchase amount. Interchange may be a fixed fee and/or a percentage of the transaction cost. Interchange may be determined based on one or more rules set by a TP.
Interchange flows from the acquirer, through the transaction processing network, to the issuer. For example, the issuer may transfer to the acquirer an amount net interchange. The issuer typically uses interchange to cover costs of acquiring credit card customers, servicing credit card accounts, providing incentives to retain customers, mitigating fraud, covering customer credit risk, group compensation and other expenses.
The acquirer may deduct a transaction cost from the amount that the acquirer pays the merchant in exchange for the product. The transaction cost may cover the acquirer's transaction processing network fee, interchange, and other expenses. The transaction cost may include a profit for the acquirer.
FIG. 1 shows typical credit card transaction settlement flow 100. Flow 100 involves TPs such as the merchant, the customer, and transaction service providers that are identified below. At step 1, the merchant provides information, relating to a proposed transaction between the merchant and a customer, to a transaction authorization and clearance provider. The transaction authorization and clearance provider may be a transaction processing network. The transaction authorization and clearance provider may provide transaction authorization and clearance information to the merchant. The transaction authorization and clearance information may include authorization for the transaction to proceed.
At step 2, the merchant provides $100 in product to the customer. The customer pays with a credit card. At step 3, the issuer transmits to the customer a statement showing the purchase price of ($100.00) due. The issuer collects the purchase price amount, along with interest and fees if appropriate, from the customer. At step 4, the issuer routes the purchase price amount of ($100.00) through the transaction processing network to the acquirer. At step 5, the acquirer partially reimburses the merchant for the purchase price amount. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the partial reimbursement is $98.00. The difference between the reimbursement amount ($98.00) and the purchase price amount ($100.00) is a two dollar ($2.00) transaction cost.
At step 6, the acquirer pays a transaction cost ($1.50), via the transaction processing network, to the issuer. At step 7, both the acquirer and the issuer pay a transaction cost ($0.07 for acquirer and $0.05 for the issuer) to the transaction processing network.
TABLE 1Net positions, by participant, based on settlementflow 100 (shown in FIG. 1).ParticipantNet ($)Issuer1.45Acquirer0.43Transaction processing network0.12Merchant−2.00Customer0
In settlement 100 (shown in FIG. 1), the transaction cost is based on an exemplary merchant discount rate of 2%. The $1.50 interchange is based on an exemplary interchange rate of 1.5%. The sum of the transaction processing network fees ($0.07 and $0.05) is based on a total exemplary transaction processing network fee rate of 0.12%.
Transaction processing networks and transaction processing network services are offered under trademarks known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Transaction processing networks may set interchange rates. Issuers may set interchange rates. Interchange rates may vary for each transaction processing network. Interchange rates may vary based on merchant type and size, transaction processing method, transaction volume and other factors.
A merchant, or other TP, may impose a surcharge for accepting a credit card, establish minimum or maximum purchase price amounts or refuse to accept selected payment credit cards. The surcharge may allow the merchant to recover some or all of the transaction cost charged to the merchant by other TPs. The surcharge imposed by the merchant may be determined and/or limited based on a total transaction cost associated with the transaction. The total transaction cost may include interchange, the merchant discount and network fees.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide apparatus and methods for auditing a transaction for compliance with one or more surcharge rules.